Dear Art people:
I know many of you have already started school already. I don't go back
until the 29th for inservice and the kids don't come in until the 5th. Over
this summer so many wonderful ideas and concepts have been shared and I was
wondering what everyone will be doing there first full lesson on?
I'll start here. I always begin the first week with LINE. It's our taking a
mark for a walk week culminating in our name quilt. We spend the first few
days making lines with sharpie markers, They have to come up with as many
differences in size, shape, value, as they can. They are then given a 9x12
piece of 80lbs drawing paper. They have to write their name in cursive (first
or last whichever is longer) large and horizontally across the paper. If
it's real long and runs off the paper that's OK. Then they turn the paper
vertically and write their other name midway across the center. The trick
here is to start writing and stop when you reach the first name, hop over and
continue writing the rest of your name. Their name should look like a plus
sign. Then they go over it with the marker and work the contour using the
different lines they've developed. It should be worked in the "round" by
turning the paper as you work. It's a great way to get to know names. I do
this with all 175 kids and in three days I know all their names. We hang in
up in the cafe like a giant quilt. All the cross sections pretty much line
up and it makes quite a statement as our first group project.